This is a record of my journey as a Muslim. I used to be Catholic and belonged to a missionary organisation. After my conversion, I sat on the board of a Muslim converts' organisation and specialised in da'wah programmes, convert management, interfaith issues and apostasy cases. I am an initiate of a Sufi order. As such, the articles and writings tend to cover these areas.
All the Arabic and graphics could not have been done without the help of my wife, Zafirah.

Thursday, 16 October 2014

Poisons of the Heart

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following are the poisons of the heart as
extracted from the works of Imam Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (r.a.) and Imam ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (r.a.).

The first is unnecessary talking. ‘Umar ibn al-Khaththab (r.a.) said, “A person who talks too much is a person who often
makes mistakes, and someone who often makes mistakes, often has wrong actions. The Fire has a priority over such a frequent
sinner.”

The second is unrestrained glances. It has been related that the Prophet (s.a.w.) once said words to the effect, “The
glance is a poisoned arrow of Shaythan.
Whoever lowers his gaze for Allah, He
will Bestow upon him a refreshing sweetness which he will find in his heart on
the day that he meets Him.”

The third is excessive consumption of food. al-Miqdam ibn Ma’d Yakrib (r.a.) said, “I heard the Messenger of
Allah (s.a.w.) say, ‘The son of Adam
fills no vessel more displeasing to Allah than his stomach. A few morsels should be enough for him to
preserve his strength. If he must fill
it, then he should allow a third for his food, a third for his drink and leave
a third empty for easy breathing.’”

And the last is keeping bad company. The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “The example of a good companion in comparison with a
bad one, is I like that of the musk seller and the blacksmith’s bellows; from
the first you would either buy musk or enjoy its good smell while the bellows
would either burn your clothes or your house, or you get a bad nasty smell
thereof.”